Suspected vehicle thief, girlfriend arrested 04-28-05

ARRESTED THURSDAY – Kyle Keoni Quilausing, left, was arrested on suspicion of numerous vehicle thefts around the Big Island. His girlfriend, Lyssa Sakamoto, was arrested and charged with hindering prosecution for helping hide him out.

MEDIA RELEASE UPDATE

Big Island police have arrested a 30-year-old male suspect believed to be responsible for numerous vehicle thefts throughout the Big Island.

South Kohala patrol officers arrested the suspect, Kyle Keoni Quilausing, about 9 a.m. Thursday in a lava field off Waikoloa Road.

In addition, East Hawaii Criminal Investigation Section detectives have arrested and charged his girlfriend, Lyssa Sakamoto, with hindering prosecution.

Acting on a tip, South Kohala patrol officers were on the way to Waikoloa Village when they spotted Quilausing with several other suspects in a stolen vehicle on Waikoloa Road. Seeing the police, the driver tried to turn the stolen vehicle around and blew a tire. Quilausing and a second suspect then tried to escape by running into a lava field. Two other suspects escaped in a second car.

Police arrested Quilausing in the lava field, but couldn’t find the second suspect.

Quilausing is being held in the Kona police cellblock pending further investigation by West Hawaii CIS detectives. He is believed to have stolen vehicles in Puna, Hilo, South Kohala and Kona.